


Sitting Dogs

by Govi



Category: Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-05
Updated: 2010-03-05
Packaged: 2017-10-07 17:52:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/67655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Govi/pseuds/Govi





	Sitting Dogs

He was just home from taking the dogs out for their morning walk when the phone rang. He almost tripped over Mac, who didn't care for phone calls, and just wanted to be fed right now. "I think I will put you in that boarding kennel," Sean said, glaring at him and the big dog's tail thumped the floor in a friendly reply.

"Hello ... Bean here."

"Sean, this is Janet. Are you still looking for someone to take care of the house and the dogs when you're abroad?"

His sister never wasted time on preliminaries and Sean smiled.

"Hi Janet, yes I am. I am quite desperate really. Why, do you know someone suitable?"

"I do, he's a cousin of Jim Mortensen, my American art teacher, and ..."

"A man?"

His sister chuckled. "You've got something against men all of a sudden? I thought you liked men!"

"Come on Janet, you know what I mean. It's just something you expect a woman to do, that's all."

"I have met him two or three times before, but yesterday I bumped into him in the pub and we had a nice chat. I told him about your problem, and he was interested immediately. Jim says Viggo - that's his name - is a very reliable guy and I believe him. He lived in Jim's house while he and Mary were in South America, and took care of their cats. He seems to have done a fine job, and he would like to stay in London longer. He's a bit, well, different, but I like him. Do you want me to give him your number so you can talk to him?"

"Oh yes, please, and thanks, Jan! I hope it will work out."

They talked for a few more minutes, until Janet had to leave for one of her classes. In the kitchen Sean fed the dogs, filling the large bowl for Mac and the smaller one for Dark. He waited patiently until Dark finished his meal, knowing all too well that Mac would end up eating half of Dark's bowl too if he left them alone.

After that he sat in his music room and played the grand piano for two hours, forgetting all about the outside world until the alarm clock he always set before playing started beeping. Not setting the alarm meant he would still be playing at dinner time; it had happened more than once in the past.

He went to the kitchen and made himself tea, sharing his biscuits with the dogs, one on each side of his chair. About to read the morning paper he jumped up when the phone rang.

The American guy's voice was soft and polite, but he seemed eager enough for the job, and offered to drop by whenever Sean wanted. They made an appointment for late in the afternoon, and Sean gave his address and directions for public transport to his house.

After lunch he put the dogs into the estate car and drove to the large park about ten miles from his home. They had a good, long walk, and after that Sean sat on a wooden bench and watched the dogs play with an empty plastic bottle.

At home Mac and Dark curled up together in Mac's large basket and Sean wandered through his living room, feeling a bit restless, while waiting for the American – Viggo – to arrive. Finally he grabbed a book and managed to relax, startling when the doorbell rang.

He shouted at Dark, barking like crazy behind the closed kitchen door, while he went and opened the door. He shook hands with Viggo - "Sean, please call me Sean" - who was about his age, clad in jeans and had a firm grip.

Sean waved at the kitchen door and was apologetically saying something about the dogs just being anxious instead of aggressive, when Viggo's smile lit up his face.

"Why don't you introduce me, Sean? I love dogs, and I would like to meet them."

Sean smiled back at him and walked to the kitchen door. "Okay, brace yourself, because Mac is quite a big guy. He would probably show burglars the way to the safe, though, so you have nothing to fear."

Viggo leaned towards the now closed door, and looked as if he had never known fear. Sean opened the kitchen door carefully, trying to calm the dogs down. Mac's thick nails scraped at the opening, eager as he was to greet the visitor, and Sean just smirked and turned round to look at Viggo.

"Even the dog trainer gave up on Mac," he said, "so don't blame me entirely," and then he let go of the door. Mac shot out of the kitchen, and more or less launched himself onto the unexpected visitor, while Dark followed more carefully, keeping close to Sean.

"Okay Mac, that's enough," Sean said, "now down!" This time the big dog listened, and sat down, leaving a slightly dazed-looking Viggo, who bent down and raised a hand to Dark's nose. Dark sniffed the proffered hand carefully, and then licked it.

"Please come in," Sean said, opening the door to the living room. The dogs followed on Viggo's heels, settled next to the arm chair he chose and looked up at him expectantly.

"Can I offer you a drink?" Sean asked. "I'll have some white wine, but if you prefer coffee or tea..."

"No, wine is fine with me, thank you," Viggo replied, whilst petting and talking to the dogs.

"So Viggo, do you know exactly what this is all about?"

Viggo nodded, his brow furrowing, "Yes, I think I do. Janet told me you're a pianist, going on tour for six weeks, and need someone to look after your dogs and house."

"Yes, that's right. A friend of mine has been doing that for years, but unfortunately she's up north, looking after her dad who's seriously ill, so she can't this time. But it's no big deal. I just want someone to take care of the dogs - I don't want to put them in a boarding kennel or anything - and of course to keep an eye on the house."

Viggo nodded again and Sean looked at him, while he took a long sip of his wine. The dogs were still at his feet. They really seemed to like him, and Sean, who was normally cautious with new people, discovered he did too. There was something disarming about Viggo, and he seemed very much laid back. An unusual face, and very attractive too. But if he was going to hand over his dogs and house to this man, he needed to know more about him.

He felt a bit awkward, but still asked, "How come you want to do this, Viggo? I mean, it's not like a paid job or anything..."

"I know, Sean. It's just that I like it here in London, but I can't go on living with Jim and Mary, I think I've been there long enough. I could afford to live in a hotel, but I don't like hotels. This seems like a great solution for both of us. And I love dogs; I will enjoy looking after them."

He looked around him, and then smiled a lopsided smile, "I see you don't have plants, Sean, that's quite a relief."

"I do, I have quite a lot really, but they are in the conservatory. You don't like plants?"

Viggo looked at him, his hand playing with the lobe of his ear. "It's not that I don't like them, but after the disaster with Sirius, I feel a bit uncertain about it."

Sean blinked. "Sirius? Who's Sirius?"

Viggo chuckled. "Well, it's not really a 'who' it's a 'what', Sirius was a plant. You see, Mary only had one plant, and she was quite attached to him. That's why she named him, I think, after her late uncle. When they were abroad I took care of the cats and I promised to take care of Sirius too, but I failed. He died. The cats are fine, though," he added cheerfully.

Sean, considering himself quite good with plants, frowned. "What kind of plant was it?"

Viggo scratched his head. "Gee, I don't know really, he was er...well, green."

Sean blinked again, man, this guy was really weird, but then he looked up and saw Viggo's grin, and he couldn't help grinning back.

"Well, Mrs. Astin comes twice a week to clean the house; I can ask her to take care of the plants if we agree on this."

They talked for quite a while, about music and dogs mostly, until Sean decided he knew enough and asked Viggo if he was still interested.

Viggo smiled at him. "Have I passed the test? I sure am still interested, Sean. So how are we going to do this?"

"I will be leaving in two weeks. Would you be willing to come here a few days before that, so that I can show you all about the dogs and the house?"

Viggo readily agreed and they picked out the date. Sean walked Viggo to the door with the dogs at his heels and they shook hands again. Closing the door behind Viggo, Sean leaned against it for a few minutes, wondering how it would feel to share his house for a few days with this man. Stop it, he urged himself and followed the dogs to the kitchen to fix their evening meal.

 

*****************

 

Even though traveling back took him more than an hour by bus, Viggo was still in a sunny mood when he walked into the small Italian restaurant close to Jim's house. Despite Mary's protests, Viggo went out for dinner almost every night. He didn't like to intrude on Jim and Mary's personal life more than necessary, and this was one way to give them a bit of space.

Only one more week, then he'd be off their back entirely and he felt glad. They never made him feel unwelcome, but it had been long enough now. Only yesterday he had been planning to go back home in a week or two, when he'd met Janet, who told him about her brother and his dogs.

He had been interested immediately. It sounded great, even though it would mean staying longer in England than expected. But apart from his parents and brother there was no one waiting for him at home – not any more – so there was no reason not to.

Looking over the menu, Viggo gave his order to the waiter, and then leaned back, sipping his wine, thinking about his meeting with Sean. Of course he had heard about Sean before, as he was well known in the States too, but since classical music wasn't really Viggo's thing, he had never seen Sean. While he hadn't really expected Beethoven to come to the door, he had somehow anticipated a very formal man, though.

Of course Sean turned out to be nothing like that. He wore jeans that had known better times and he was definitely in need of a haircut and shave. Belying his rugged looks, he seemed shy, and Viggo deemed him utterly shaggable.

Viggo was glad to feel the once so familiar pull of attraction. He thought it had died, or at least been left behind in the States with that bastard, Greg. The dogs offered a nice distraction; they were cute, both of them, and Viggo loved them immediately.

The pristine look of the living room made him feel a bit uneasy, but he relaxed when Sean talked about this Mrs. Astin coming to clean. At least he didn't expect Viggo to keep the house this immaculate!

He watched Sean, admiring the long slender fingers moving while Sean talked. A strong accent there and he remembered Jim saying something about Janet originating from the north of England. Pianist's hands indeed, and for a moment his mind wandered, thinking about what other delights those fingers could bring.

He loved the still unknown Mrs. Astin even more when Sean said he would let her take care of his plants. Sean seemed rather smitten with them, and Viggo had an image of a conservatory full of dying Siriuses. Personally he always felt that plants belonged outside, fully natural, but he had kept his view politely to himself.

Moving in a few days earlier was fine with him, as he would happily have moved in the same night. He liked Jim's cats, but dogs were better. He liked Jim, but Sean was definitely more appealing to look at and not related to him. He liked the idea of being by himself for six weeks, but living in the house while Sean was still there wasn't that bad either.

It had been a great day, wrapping the fresh cooked pasta around his fork, wrinkling his nose, appreciating the smell of basil and garlic. Delicious.

 

A week later, he found himself on Sean's porch, carrying two suitcases. He chuckled on reading the 'Beware of the dogs' sign, thinking about big, friendly Mac, and cute, clever Dark. He still smiled when Sean opened the door; Sean who had obviously had his hair cut, though the worn out jeans were still there. Sean followed his gaze, raked his fingers through the short, dirty-blond hair, then picked up one of Viggo's suitcases and urged him into the house.

This time, the dogs were in the hall waiting for him, and Viggo had to put down his suitcases in order to keep himself standing, while Mac greeted him enthusiastically.

Sean, halfway up the stairs, turned round and smirked. "You'd better get used to that Viggo. He does that every time you have left the house, even if you've been gone for only five minutes. But perhaps you'll be more successful in teaching him manners than I have been."

"I wouldn't count on it," Viggo said, kneeling down on the floor to greet Dark, tickling her black fuzzy ears. "I like them just as they are."

He followed Sean up the stairs, into a light and spacious bedroom. Sean opened the door to a walk-in closet, and yet another door that led to a small but nice bathroom.

"The dogs are not allowed upstairs," he said, eying Viggo sternly. "I don't feel like being pushed out of my bed by Mac at night. They know they have to stay downstairs, but they will try and go up anyway as soon as I am gone. Don't let Dark fool you, he's the sly one."

Viggo nodded, and followed Sean's tour of the floor. They took a brief peek into Sean's bedroom, which contained a huge bed, a few doors, and a large, flat-screen TV.

There were two more guestrooms, each of them smaller than Viggo's room and then there was the music room. The black grand piano was a beautiful instrument and Sean's fingers caressed it as if it were a living creature. In a friendly way, he told Viggo not to play it, please, but Viggo wasn't paying much attention, as his eyes were fixed on the movement of those long stroking fingers.

"Wow," Viggo commented when they descended the stairs, "you must be doing pretty well, Sean. This is quite a house."

"I can't complain," Sean said, leading Viggo into the kitchen. "But you must do rather well yourself if you can take holidays as long as this one. What do you do for a living?"

"I run a publishing house, together with my brother. It's a family business. My grandfather started it and then my father took over. He's retired now, and so it's just Roger and me, and of course a handful of clever managers. It's a very large and successful company and the sad truth is that I can be missed for a few months, as long as I keep in touch. I was bored, that's one of the reasons I came to England."

Sean opened up cupboards, showing him china, utensils, and appliances. He didn't look at Viggo, just asked casually,

"And there's nobody waiting at home for you?"

"Just my parents and my brother, no, no one else, not any more at least." Sean glanced at him briefly, and then simply nodded, opening the kitchen door to the garden.

The garden was large and beautiful, and Sean showed him around, showing more pride than he had done inside the house. It was a lovely day, not really warm yet, but sunny, and Viggo bent down to admire the colourful lathyrus.

When he rose, Sean had moved closer, and for a moment their faces were almost touching. They looked into each other's eyes, and then Sean averted his, and quickly stepped back, pointing out the pond.

Later, after briefly visiting the conservatory, they had coffee at the kitchen table and talked, and somehow Viggo felt very much at home. When Sean went upstairs to his music room, Viggo followed him up to unpack his suitcases, leaving both dogs looking up at him pleadingly from the bottom of the stairs.

In his room he lay down on the bed, and listened to the music filling the room. Imagining those hands on him, playing him like they played that instrument, Viggo opened the fly of his jeans, closed his eyes and stroked himself until he came, biting his lip to stifle the cry.

After that he cleaned himself and put his belongings in the walk-in closet, opening the Venetian blinds to look out at the garden beneath his window. The dogs were outside, rolling over each other on the grass, biting playfully at each other's throats.

There was soup and handmade bread for lunch, and after lunch Sean gave Viggo directions for driving to the park in the estate car, so Viggo could go there with the dogs when Sean was gone. They played with the dogs, making them run after the ball Sean had brought with him.

They had a Coke outside the teahouse in the park, Sean confessing to football being his other passion and he blushed while rolling up his sleeve to show Viggo his tattoo. This was a very 'boyish' Sean talking about his 'cit-eh', and the lifelong bond with 'his' football team, and Viggo felt drawn to him more and more.

There was easiness between them, a sort of companionship, but as soon as they got back to Sean's place, the tension was back too. They had a beer in the living room and then Viggo helped in preparing dinner, cutting vegetables and herbs from Sean's garden.

The food was delicious, so was the wine and the attraction between them was so clear, that the outcome of the evening seemed inevitable. Still, after they drank their coffee in silence, Sean stood up and stretched out. He started putting the dishes in the dishwasher, and Viggo rose from his chair and gave him a hand.

"Well," Sean said, "it's been a long day, and I am a bit tired. I will take the dogs out for a short walk and then I will go to bed if you don't mind?"

Viggo minded very much indeed, but of course he couldn't say so, and he nodded, "Sure Sean, that's fine with me." He didn't offer to accompany Sean, as it was clear Sean didn't want him to. "I think I will go upstairs now and read a little. See you in the morning."

 

*********************

 

Sean turned over in his bed, and sighed in defeat. Lying on his back he stared at the ceiling. Viggo had been here for three days now, and it had been one long agony. Sean knew very well what he wanted, and he was quite sure Viggo wanted it too, expected it even. Things were too complicated though. It was just not sensible. He would be gone for six weeks; surely Viggo would go back to the States after that and Sean would be alone again.

Sean didn't mind being alone. He had been alone for years now, occasionally having a one night, or maybe two or three night-stand, but nothing heavier that that. He just couldn't do relationships, he was convinced of that. Three broken relationships were the proof, and every time it had ended Sean was the one left behind, hurt and sad again. He was better off alone with the dogs.

But it didn't come easy to stay just friendly with Viggo, and to not give in to the constant urge to kiss him, wind his arms around him and have him in his bed. Today he had managed again, just like the days before, but alone in bed he paid the price. He just couldn't sleep.

It had been warm all day, the air in his bedroom felt hot and sticky and Sean was thirsty. He got out of bed, heading downstairs for the kitchen in search of a cold bottle of water and a bit of company from the dogs.

He froze as he stepped in. Viggo was sitting at the kitchen table. He had only lit the small lamps above the sink and his face was half in shadow. His eyes shone when he looked up, and Sean felt suddenly very much aware of his near-nakedness, as he was wearing only very thin boxers.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Viggo asked.

"No, er yeah, I just felt thirsty," Sean said, opening the refrigerator and picking out a bottle as if to prove it. Turning round, he nearly bumped into Viggo, who had moved from his chair and was standing so close now that Sean could feel the warm breath on his naked skin. For a moment they just looked at each other and then Viggo's arm shot out, pushing Sean against the refrigerator's door and pressing up close. A sound escaped from Sean's lips, and dropping the bottle of water he grabbed Viggo's shoulders with one hand, curved the other around the back of his neck, and reeled him in, crushing their mouths together. Viggo mouthed something against his lips, and he answered by pushing his tongue inside, making it dance and twine with Viggo's tongue.

He groaned when Viggo ground against him, making him feel that he was just as hard as Sean, or maybe even harder. But he was wearing sweatpants and a tee shirt, much too much, and Sean tried pulling the shirt up without breaking the kiss, growling in lust and want.

He only remembered the dogs when he heard Dark's happy bark and felt them around his legs. Mac was trying to jump up to him, cheerfully joining in with this fun thing going on. He broke the kiss, and cursed, ordering the dogs back to their baskets which they both chose to ignore.

He looked at Viggo, the sweatpants hanging almost down to his knees, his shirt pushed up to his collar bone and they both laughed. "Come here," Sean said, grabbing Viggo's wrist and pulling him behind him to the stairs. They stopped at the foot of the stairs to kiss again and Viggo wriggled and squirmed under the kiss until he could step out of the pants and lose them.

The dogs – not giving up so easily – followed them, and by then Sean no longer cared, because Viggo had dropped to his knees, and licked his cock through the thin cotton of his shorts. He whimpered when Viggo pulled back, grabbing both dogs by their collars and steering them back to the kitchen, closing the door behind them.

He was leaning against the wall, trying to collect his thoughts, when Viggo was back, dropping to his knees again, pulling down Sean's shorts, and almost swallowing Sean's cock. He cried out sharply and Dark barked again in frustration behind the kitchen door, which made them both laugh again.

"Come here," Sean said again, pulling Viggo up by his arms and kissing him, "let's go to bed."

They stumbled into Sean's room, simply because it was the first, and he pushed Viggo down on the bed, crawling over him to kiss him. Sean reached out to turn on the bedside lamp, because he wanted to look at Viggo, wanted to see his body under his hands.

So very beautiful, Viggo was and Sean tried to learn him by heart. He tasted his skin, let his tongue trail down the hard lines of Viggo's jaw, then the smooth flesh of his neck and down until his tongue pillowed the soft head of his cock.

His hand on Viggo's hip kept him pinned on the bed, and he used every trick he knew to give him pleasure, rewarded by hearing Viggo slowly come apart, his legs trembling under Sean's.

After a few minutes Sean climbed up until their heads were on the same level and they could kiss, deeply and eagerly. Viggo made a sound deep in his throat, when Sean started stroking him again, toying with his nipples until he arched up under the touch, getting aroused again.

Leaning over, Sean opened the drawer of his bedside table, rummaging until he found what he wanted, and then scooted down again. Stroking Viggo's thighs, he pulled them open, tonguing his balls, Sean's hand exploring, caressing the soft flesh behind them.

Viggo was now fully hard again, opening his legs even wider, whispering encouragements as Sean pushed slick fingers into him, curled and twisted them until Viggo's words became obscenities and Sean could no longer stand it.

Sean's cock was hot and persistent inside him and Viggo felt his body give in, relax and take it all. Sean's eyes closed as he moved onto Viggo, riding him, fisting Viggo's cock, then opened wide suddenly focusing, pushing in a few times more, till Viggo came and then he came too.

Keeping Viggo close, Sean reluctantly broke their embrace after a while, and rolled off. He stepped out of bed, and disappeared into the bathroom. Returning with a damp towel, he cleaned Viggo up carefully and tossed the towel on the floor. Crawling back into bed, he took Viggo in his arms and fell asleep almost immediately.

Viggo still couldn't sleep, still couldn't believe what just had happened. He looked at Sean, sleeping peacefully next to him just one more time, before he carefully put out the light.

The odds were against them, he knew. He slowly counted them one by one... they weren't young any more, and both had left luggage; he sure had, and no doubt Sean had too. He would have to go back to the States sooner or later, and Sean would be here in England, an ocean between them, and they would have time to think things over, and now things to regret.

On the other hand, they might just be lucky. Maybe life would be kind to them, make them forget things like odds and 'used-to-be's.

He could hear Dark's sharp bark downstairs, as if in agreement with him, and he relaxed into Sean's arms.

_At least the kids wanted them to stay together._


End file.
